Knit Cardigan

Reading the Gauge in a Photo

Gauge is rarely printed on a listing, but a photograph gives it away. If you can count the stitches from arm's length, the knit is chunky; if the surface reads smooth or softly fuzzy with no visible rows, it is a finer gauge. A chunky cardigan scattered with raised sherpa stars announces its stitch in every shot, while a smooth viscose blend with a shirt collar looks closer to a light jacket than to a sweater.

• Chunky goes on last. Plan a chunky cardigan as the outer layer on a mild day.
• Fine goes on first. A smooth knit sits flat under a coat and comes out polished at the office.
• Brushed sits in between. A combed surface lifts loose fibers that trap air, so a thin knit feels cozier than it looks.

What the Yarn Blend Changes

The fiber line on a listing tells you how a knit cardigan will feel by evening. Cotton in the blend lets air through, viscose drapes and feels cool on bare arms, and acrylic with polyamide brings softness and a little loft. That is why a cotton and acrylic checkered knit stays comfortable through a warm afternoon, while a brushed acrylic stripe is the one to pull on in a cold office. The same blends dry faster than wool, which matters on a knit you wear several days a week.

Washing a Knit Cardigan So It Keeps Its Shape

Knits lose their shape on the hanger and in the dryer rather than in the wash itself. Wash cold and inside out, then dry flat on a towel, easing the front edges straight while the cardigan is still damp. Do the buttons up first, which keeps the placket in line and stops metal buttons knocking against the drum. Store it folded on a shelf, because a hanger slowly pushes the shoulders of a knit into two small points.

• No softener on pile. Sherpa and brushed surfaces clump under fabric softener, and a soft brush lifts them back.
• Wash a brushed knit alone once. The first wash carries off loose surface fibers before they find your darks.
• Steam rather than press. A hot iron flattens the texture that made the knit worth buying.

Knit Cardigans That Wear Like Jackets

A knit cut short and finished with jacket proportions holds a shape instead of hanging, which is why a knit cardigan jacket lasts a whole day at a desk where stiff tailoring does not. A short camel knit stops at the waistband and sits neatly over a high-waisted skirt, a longline knit in dark brown covers to the thigh and shrugs off the marks of a commute, and a collared button knit with flap pockets does a blazer's job at business casual. For the double-breasted version of the same idea, see the knit jacket page.

Pick the Gauge Your Coat Allows

Open the closet before you order. If your everyday coat is slim, choose a fine or brushed knit cardigan that lies flat under it; if your coat is roomy or the weather is mild, a chunky knit can be the outer layer by itself. For a front with nothing to fasten, the open front cardigan page explains how that cut frames whatever you wear underneath.